DeLaveaga Lifts Cal Lutheran to 86-72 Victory

Steve deLaveaga does not take a punch lying down.

DeLaveaga, the top scorer in the Golden State Athletic Conference, gave Cal Lutheran a scare when he left the game with a nasty cut over his left eye midway through the first half.

He gave the Azusa Pacific players an uneasy feeling when he returned 1 minute, 16 seconds later.

DeLaveaga scored six consecutive points, 10 of CLU’s next 12, and a game-high 38 to lead the Kingsmen to an 86-72 victory in a GSAC game in Azusa on Friday night.

DeLaveaga, who is averaging 29 points a game, suffered the cut after being hit by an elbow with 9:05 remaining in the first half. He sat out long enough to wipe off the blood and get a bandage.

“I wasn’t really thinking about the cut,” deLaveaga said. “I just wanted to get back in and play.

“It might have fired me up, I don’t know. I had missed my first three shots and I needed to get going.”

CLU Coach Larry Lopez was not surprised by deLaveaga’s gung-ho attitude.

“It happens all the time to him,” Lopez said. “He has been cut about three or four times this year above his left eye. He gets a lot of contact because he’s always going to the hoop. But he never misses a game.”

After a slow start--he was held to just two free throws in the first 8:40--deLaveaga scored 18 points in the first half.

The 6-4 junior has scored more than 30 points in four of his six games against Azusa.

Mike Demeter added 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for CLU and Blake Miraglia scored 12. Bill DesRochers led Azusa with 35 points and 12 rebounds, and Danny Scott added 10 points.

CLU’s win kept the Kingsmen at the top of the crowded GSAC standings and snapped a two-game losing streak. CLU (12-12) remained in first with a 7-3 conference record; the Cougars, losers of three in a row, dropped to 9-17, 6-4.

Five teams were tied for the conference lead going into Friday’s action, including Westmont, which defeated CLU earlier this week.

The Kingsmen, who have four games remaining, need to finish among the top six teams in the conference to advance to the playoffs.

Azusa Pacific 71, Cal Lutheran 59--Sally Cohenour and Holly Ingersoll combined for 31 points to win the Golden State Athletic Conference game in Azusa.

Danielle Elton led CLU with 20 points, and Brenda Lee added 14 and pulled down 11 rebounds.

CLU dropped to 5-15, 3-5 in conference play; Azusa improved to 15-6, 6-3.